‘Metropolis’ redux to theaters, DVD

Kino picks up Moroder's retooled version

Kino Lorber has picked up U.S. rights to Giorgio Moroder’s 1984 version of “Metropolis,” which added a new score from ’80s pop acts including Pat Benatar, Freddie Mercury and Bonnie Tyler.

Moroder, a composer who’s contributed to pics including “Top Gun” and “Flashdance,” not only gave Fritz Lang’s 1927 pic a contempo soundtrack but also oversaw the inclusion of footage that had been missing. The silent film’s intertitles were replaced with subtitles, and sound effects and color tinting were added.

The retooling of the film stirred up some controversy from purists at the time. Other composers who penned music for the score include Jon Anderson of Yes, Adam Ant and Billy Squier.

Kino Lorber’s release was created from an HD transfer of one of the surviving prints. The distributor plans a limited theatrical tour of “Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis” in some 20 cities this fall, prior to a DVD and Blu-ray release Nov. 15.

The homevid version will include short doc “The Fading Image,” which follows Moroder’s work on the film.